Saturday, September 7, 2019

International Business. Marketing policies Essay

International Business. Marketing policies - Essay Example This paper focuses on the International marketing mix for the number one bank in the Netherlands called ABN AMRO. The paper is divided into two sections. The first section speaks about the essential components in a marketing mix and then goes on to compare and contrast the differences in a domestic marketing campaign with that of an international marketing campaign. The second part of the paper focuses on ABN AMRO launching itself and its credit card campaign to be more specific into the growing markets of India. As the international marketing manager in charge of this venture, I focus on the areas and topics which we research, analyse and finally decide upon before venturing into the Indian market. This write up is simple yet interesting, focussing on the differences one has to consider in launching an international campaign from that of a domestic one, and the careful planning and research that needs to be adopted on critical topics so that the launch of ABN AMRO into India would n ot only be popular and successful but also rewarding and provide long term benefits including that of establishing a back office, so that ABN can take advantage of the outsourcing fraternity in India in the long run ahead. International Business (Section: A) ABN AMRO BANK: The merger between ABN BANK and Amro Bank created ABN AMRO Bank on 22 September 1991 in Amsterdam. ABN may not be as popular as the Bank of America or American Express but one only has to walk down the streets of Amsterdam or Rotterdam to be surrounded by the presence of ABN in the form of advertisements, promotions and numerous ATM's located all over the city. In the Netherlands ABN is in your face wherever you may go, for its reputation and brand name is a household name. Having been the domestic marketing manager for ABN in the Netherlands for 7 years and seeing the way the Bank steadily expanded in revenue and brand name had made my role as domestic marketing manager not only remarkably challenging but also tremendously satisfying. With the steady growth and performance year after year, ABN has followed the current trend of business and now looks to spread its international presence and expand its products and services. Keeping this in mind, I was promoted to International marketing manager and asked to spearhead, plan and co-ordinate the International campaign. Marketing Mix: The task is one that is exciting and involves a lot of research and careful planning. Those who are familiar with the rudiments of general marketing theory will know that marketing is far more than selling: profitability and added shareholder value is the ultimate aim of all marketing pursuits. Marketing is a collection of activities, including advertising, public relations and sales promotions, marketing research and new product development, package design and merchandising, personal selling and after-sales service and the determination of selling prices. (R Bennett, J Blythe, H Alder, 2002). The term marketing mix is frequently used to describe the combination of marketing elements applied in a given set of circumstances (Borden, 1965). Although the whole marketing scenario is in many ways different when it comes to the International market, they are in some ways similar to that of the domestic market, because the key areas in both aspects are more or less the same but need to be implemented in a new way. Major components of the marketing mix can be listed under seven headings. (R Bennett, J Blythe, H Alder, 2002). Major Components 1. Promotion: including advertising, merchandising, public relations, and the control and deployment of sales staff; 2. Product: design and

Friday, September 6, 2019

Pentecostal History Essay Example for Free

Pentecostal History Essay The largest and the most important religious movement to originate from the United States is the Pentecostal Movement. It is considered as the fourth force in Christendom alongside Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodox, and its exponential growth rate in terms of adherents is testimony to its appeal. The Charismatic Renewal Movement has some of its roots in historic Pentecostalism, and it is now deeply entrenched in most of the mainline Protestant denominations, in Catholicism, and in some Orthodox. In the 21st Century, the total adherents of Pentecostals and Charismatics probably exceed the combined numbers of Protestants and Orthodox. Pentecostal statistics show a total adherent base of 400 million in 1993,including the 200 million members designated as nominational Pentecostals and 200 million Charismatics in the main Protestant denominations and Catholicism. â€Å"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them†(Garnett 1987) The Acts of the Apostles, 2:1-3 (Cox 1995) Background History Adherents of Pentecostalism take their name from an incident recounted in Chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles. The story describes how the confused followers of a recently crucified Rabbi whom they all believed to be the messiah of the world, had gathered to mark the fiftieth day after Passover. Suddenly there was a heavenly sound like the rush of a mighty wind. The Holy Spirit filled them, tongues as of fire crowned their heads, and surprisingly they could understand each other’s language although the gathering comprised people from many different countries and different linguistic affinities. Apparently, the ancient curse of Babel had been reversed and that God was creating a new inclusive human community in which Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia could all live together. Origins of the Pentecostal Faith The first Pentecost appeared on the scene in 1901 in Topeka, Kansas in a Bible school conducted by Charles Fox Parham, a holiness teacher and former Methodist pastor. There exists considerable controversy about the origins and timings of Parham’s emphasis on glossolalia; there is general agreement amongst historians that the movement was initiated in the first days of 1901, in the beginning of the Twentieth Century. One of Parhams Bible School students Agnes Ozman , was the first person to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and she thereafter began speaking in different tongues on the very first day of the new century on January 1, 1901. According to J. Roswell Flower, the founding Secretary of the Assemblies of God, Ozmans experience was the touch felt round the world, an event which made the Pentecostal Movement of the Twentieth Century. Due to the Topeka Pentecost, Parham postulated the doctrine that tongues (glossolalia) was the biblical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and that it a was a supernatural ability endowed for the purpose of world evangelization. Glossolalia is an experiential phenomenon of an ecstatic, altered state of consciousness, in which orgiastic techniques are cultivated to achieve ecstasy in the belief that unusual psychological and physical states are synonymous with Spirit-possession. He added that since missionaries had the ability to speak in any language, they need not learn any new language for the purpose of evangelical preaching. Armed with this new theology, Parham founded a church movement which he called the Apostolic Faith and began a whirlwind revival tour of the American Middle West to promote his exciting new experience. â€Å"saw an angel coming down from heaven With the key to the abyss and a great Chain in his hand. He seized the dragon and chained him up for a thousand years So that he might not seduce the nations until the thousand years were over†. Revelation 20:1-3 â€Å"Fed by broken packing cases and discarded wrapping paper the fire quickly spread from the boarded-up Casino to the empty Music Hall. From there sparks flew through the arctic night to the roofs of the exposition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cox 1995). Prophecy of the Pentecost Traditionally, Americans have always had a strong dose of millenium drilled in to them, covering the time the puritans landed in New England to the revival preachers who traveled the Midwest on horseback, they were continually being told that the last stages of history was unfolding and that America would play a major role in the grand finale. Going in to the 20th century, prophecies and speculations regarding a new Pentecost and a New Jerusalem were rife. And in the last days it shall be, God declares, That I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh† Acts of the Apostles 2:17-19 â€Å"The fire from heaven descended on April 9, 1906, on a small band of black domestic servants and custodial employees gathered for prayer in a wooden bungalow at 214 North Bonnie Brae Avenue in Los Angeles, California†¦. †(Cox 1995) Pastor at Azusa Street Seymour who had learned the tongues-attested baptism in a Bible school that Parham conducted in Houston, Texas in 1905 was invited to pastor a black holiness church in Los Angeles in 1906. Seymour opened the historic meeting in April, 1906 in a former African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church building at 312 Azusa Street in downtown Los Angeles. The happenings at Azusa have fascinated church historians for decades and have never been fully understood or explained (Wackman 1994). For three years thereafter, the Azusa Street Apostolic Faith Mission conducted three services a day, seven days a week, where thousands of seekers received the tongues baptism. Word of the revival was spread abroad through The Apostolic Faith, a paper that Seymour sent free of charge to some 50,000 subscribers. From Azusa Street Pentecostalism spread rapidly around the world and began its advance toward becoming a major force in Christendom. The Azusa Street movement seems to have been a merger of white American holiness religion with worship styles derived from the African-American Christian tradition which had developed since the days of chattel slavery in the South. The expressive worship and praise at Azusa Street, which included shouting and dancing, had been common among Appalachian whites as well as Southern blacks. The admixture of tongues and other charisms with black music and worship styles created a new and indigenous form of Pentecostalism that was to prove extremely attractive to disinherited and deprived people, both in America and other nations of the world(MacRoberts 1988). â€Å"Pentecost has come to Los Angeles, the American Jerusalem. Every sect, creed and doctrine under heaven as well as every nation is represented. †(Frank Bartleman,1906). The Inter racial Aspect The interracial mingling at the congregations was a stark contrast to the existing racial tensions and segregations of the times. The interracial aspects of the movement in Los Angeles were a striking exception to the racism and segregation of the times. The phenomenon of blacks and whites worshipping together under a black pastor seemed incredible to many observers. The event also cemented William Seymour’s place as not only the most influential black leader in American History, but also as a co-founder of world Pentecostalism(Deyoung et al 2003). â€Å"This is the work of God, and cannot be stopped. While our enemies scold, we pray and the fire burns† Household of God, Nov. 1907 Spread of Pentecostal The Azusa Street movement in 1906, led by the African-American preacher William Joseph Seymour provided the much needed impetus for the spread of the Pentecostal faith, which until then had not really captured popular imagination. The first wave of Azusa pilgrims journeyed throughout the United States spreading the Pentecostal fire, primarily in holiness churches, missions, and camp meetings. In America Gaston Barnabas Cashwell of North Carolina, who spoke in tongues in 1906 was one of the Azusa Pilgrims, whose six-month preaching tour of the South in 1907 resulted in major inroads among southern holiness folk. Under his ministry, Cashwell saw several holiness denominations swept into the new movement, including the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), the Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church, and the Pentecostal Free-Will Baptist Church. Also in 1906, Charles Harrison Mason ,upon his return to Memphis from Azusa Street, spread the Pentecostal fire in the Church of God in Christ. The Church he founded comprised African-Americans only one generation removed from slavery. (The parents of both Seymour and Mason had been born as southern slaves). Although tongues caused a split in the church in 1907, the Church of God in Christ experienced such explosive growth that by 1993, it was by far the largest Pentecostal denomination in North America, claiming some 5,500,000 members in 15,300 local churches. Another Azusa pilgrim was William H. Durham of Chicago. After receiving his tongues experience at Azusa Street in 1907, he returned to Chicago, where he led thousands of mid-western Americans and Canadians into the Pentecostal movement. In 1914, he established the Assemblies of God, which by 1993 had over 2,000,000 members in the U.  S. and some 25,000,000 adherents in 150 nations of the world. Conclusion The Pentecostal Movement has proved to be a major force in Christendom throughout the world with unprecedented exponential growth of adherents. By the Nineties, The Pentecostals and their charismatic brothers and sisters in the mainline Protestant and Catholic churches had turned their energy and resources to world evangelization. The future will reveal the ultimate results of this movement which has greatly impacted the world during the Twentieth Century.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Concept of Influence in Leadership

Concept of Influence in Leadership Influence is defined as the force one person exerts on another person to induce a change in the targeted individual. Influencing can change a persons behavior, attitude, goals, opinions, needs and values. Influence is a necessary part of leadership. It is concerned with how the leader affects followers. Influence is a necessary ingredient of leadership, without influence, leadership is non-existent. The influence dimension of leadership requires the leader to have an impact on the lives of those being led. To make a change in other people comes with an enormous amount of social and ethical burden. Various types of influence processes and the factors affecting them Leaders use variety of influence process to alter the behavior of people. The influence process changes according to the demands of the situation. Influence processes refer to the five ways leaders shape organizational variables including people and resources. The five influence processes are direct decisions, allocation of resources, reward system, selection and promotion of other leaders and role modeling. Each will be discussed in detail in the following paragraphs: Direct decisions:Â  Direct decisions provide the leaders the ability to influence the choices of their followers. This ability to influence comes with the control leaders have in formulating mission and vision aspects of an organization. The most important aspect giving power to leader in the organizational structure is their ability to influence the variables affecting their followers through direct decisions. Leaders ability to make decisions influencing organizational structure give them the power to dictate decision making in the organization and set overall direction of the organization. Allocation of resources: Leaders make use of their power over various organizational resources such as human, money and technological resources to significantly impact the way work is carried out in an organization. For example if a department is in serious need of funds a leader has the power to grant additional money to the department in addition to the portion allocated to the department in the annual budget. Reward system: Leader can make use of their power to reward to influence the actions and behaviors of their employees. A leader can offer monetary incentive to followers in case the followers conform to certain behavioral standards and achieve goals necessary for meeting the overall organization objective. Selection and promotion of other leaders: Leaders can also influence their followers by making use of their power to promote the leaders who meet individual as well as organizational goals and objectives. Role modeling: Finally one of the most important ways leaders can mould the behavior and opinion of their followers is by acting as a role model. Followers always follow the path leader is taking. If a leader possesses high moral and ethical standard there are greater chances that their followers will also have high ethical and moral standards. Analysis of the influence process used by Andrea Jung, Indra Nooyi, and Brenda Barnes Influence processes used by Andrea Jung Direct decisions: The CEO of Avon Corporation, Andrea Jung has taken numerous successful decisions that have changed the image of Avon in the beauty and cosmetics industry. She emphasized the importance of sales force saying that they were at the heart of Avon and that Avons future success depends on their efforts. She also strongly emphasized the importance of internet sales. Andrea Jung also worked to change Avons traditional focus from the 30-55 year old women to the younger 16-24 year old women citing the reason that this segment of around 17 million women has a purchasing power of over $100. She also eliminated seven layers of management and got rid of 25% of the senior staff. Allocation of resources: Andrea Jung strongly favors allocation of huge budget for the Research and development function of her organization, believing that it has potential to give off higher benefits in return. Andrea Jungs decision to invest heavily in RD paid off when the companys sales increased by 45% in 2004. Reward system: Sales representatives making huge profits for the company are rewarded with paid holiday trips to eye-catching tourist attractions like Tenerife, Cyprus and Madeira. Selection and promotion of other leaders: When Andrea Jung took over Avon Corporation there were no women past middle management. Today 85% of Avons top management team in U.S. being composed of females ([emailprotected], 2005). Role modeling: Andrea Jung with her determination, courage and distinctive managerial style is a wonderful role model for coming generations of female leaders. Influence processes used by Indra Nooyi Direct decisions: At PepsiCo. Indra Nooyi has been credited with several key decisions that have positively enhanced the performance the company. Her decisions including the divestiture of fast food restaurants (Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC), the acquisition of Tropicana and the merger with Quaker Oats provide remarkable examples to the sharp talents Indra Nooyi has in turning ideas and plans into realities. Allocation of resources: Indra Nooyi redirected about one third of PepsiCos marketing budget this year towards social media campaigns and digital promotions including her ReFresh Project campaign. Indra Nooyi takes community building seriously and has undertaken a $20M grant program to help community building causes. Reward system: Apart from monetary rewards, Indra Nooyi strongly believes in the importance of non-monetary rewards as well. She sends the spouses and parents of her companys top performers personal hand written thank-you letters (Keller Price, 2011). Selection and promotion of other leaders: Indra Nooyi stresses the importance of developing future leaders so that when the top level leaders leave their jobs their absence is not felt (Keller Price, 2011). Role modeling: Indra Nooyi is a role model for millions of young girls back home in India. It is a signal to them that with extreme dedication and hard work they too can scale apparently unreachable heights. Influence processes used by Brenda Barnes Direct decisions: The CEO of Sara Lee has undertaken number of direct decisions during her tenure at the company. Her first major decision was to sell its non-core businesses to focus on the core business. She also decided to increase Sara Lees presence in the international market, because of this decision in 2008, 75% of the companys operating income came from international (non-U.S.) market. Allocation of resources: When Brenda Barnes first assumed the role of CEO of Sara Lee she took the decision to allocate $250m towards RD and marketing in addition to the allocated amount in budget, she undertook the decision to boost the annual sales at least by 2% to 4%. Reward system: At Sara Lee rewards are tied to employees performance on job. Employees are encouraged to buy companys stock and naturally it gives provides them an incentive to perform exceedingly well on their jobs since it will translate into profits for them (Griffin Moorhead, 2011). Selection and promotion of other leaders: Brenda Barnes promoted leaders to higher echelons of the organization depending on their skills and performance level on job (Griffin Moorhead, 2011). Role modeling: Brenda Barnes is a great role model for women looking for finding a balance between career and home. She took a career break and left her job as the CEO of Sara Lee for looking after her children (Bulik, 2004). Conclusion Influence is the force a person exerts on another person to change their opinion or alter their behaviors. Leaders frequently use a combination of influence strategies. It is a well-known fact that people who use a wider variety of tactics are typically perceived as having greater power and influence. Leaders have to determine the method that is most likely to influence others by considering the individuals, groups, and situations involved.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

We Must Solve the Climate Change Crisis :: Global Warming Essays, 2015

"For the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. Now, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods—all are now more frequent and more intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science—and act before it’s too late." -- President Barack Obama We owe something to future generations in terms of conducting energy and environmental research and coming up with various energy policies that are forward thinking. Historically, the path to the future is created in the past. Our generation must commit itself to constantly researching energy and environmental impacts of energy to come up with innovative information. More specifically, research in climate change and how human use of energy impacts climate change is very important for the future. Additionally, policies need to be thought of, created, passed, and put into action properly. Based on the plethora of issues that we as a class have identified through our various energy policies, it is extremely apparent that there is a need for innovative policy for energy and climate change impacts in the US. Since we are only students, it is amazing to see how we were all able to come up with these policies, and it shows that policy makers definitely have a lot of work to do going forward. Who knows, maybe we will see policies similar to the ones we created become implemented in the future. Overall, it is important for policies to be created now for the future to look bright in terms of the way the United States uses its energy and regulates its emissions from energy overall. In the future, new policies will be created; however, they will need to assess the strengths and weaknesses of policies created today.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

George Lucas :: essays research papers

George Lucas THX 1138, American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back†¦the list goes on and on. Although many have not heard of each of these films, everyone certainly has to know the man behind them. George Lucas has, in many cases, written, produced, and directed, not to mention edit, his own films. His vision was the driving force that imagined and created these movies. All have made back the cost of the film and most have received millions of dollars in profit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it sounds as if he had an easy life, in reality, Lucas had to struggle in order to get ahead. Not being interested or involved in school, Lucas turned his attention to cars. When he reached driving age, his father gave him a nice, small, â€Å"safe† car. However, passionate about cars and racing, Lucas revved up his engine and turned it into a hot rod. Each day following, he went cruising around town, drag racing often. However, this passion led him to a drastic change in his life. It ultimately led him to success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lucas was in a car crash in 1962, which ended his racing career before it even started. He missed his graduation ceremony at his high school, but joked that the only reason he got a diploma was because his teachers felt sorry for him. As a result, Lucas looked for other options to fill his void in life. Since his grades were not good enough for a four-year college, he decided to go to junior college. For the first time in his life, he hit the books. He fell asleep trying to earn the highest grades he could in order to have a future for himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During junior college, Lucas formed other interests. Instead of racing, he filmed them on an 8-millimeter camera his father gave him. An old friend, John Plummer, told George that he should apply to the University of Southern California. His friend remarked that it was not that hard to get into as reputation indicated. Lucas applied, and was accepted, for his junior year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the idea was unpopular with his father, Lucas was not stopped in pursing his career. At school, he realized that he had to work his but off to stay on top. He did not mind the hard work. Lucas actually felt relaxed staying up all night editing film. Even when a lot of college students got high on drugs, â€Å"Lucas got high on films (1, 45).

Monday, September 2, 2019

Deforestation Essay -- essays research papers

Deforestation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The planet Earth is being scarred. Everyday the people of the planet earth are polluting the planet’s air, water and land. These are all natural resources that are necessary for our survival on this planet. Yet, we continue to abuse our planet. Our world population is growing out of control. The simple lesson of supply and demand tells us that we will need more resources in order to support the booming population. One of the most important factors in survival is food supply. With out enough food, we will not survive. Unfortunately, our forest ecosystems are paying the price for the food demand. Deforestation is a major problem on our planet. It is something that must be carefully monitored and regulated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deforestation is a practice that has been taking place for thousands of years. Human beings have found it necessary to clear out the forests for settlement and cropland. Although there is no evidence as to how much of the planet’s forests has been cut down, it is obvious that this valuable ecosystem is declining. Studies estimate that, â€Å"original forest cover has been reduced by nearly 50 percent.† (WRI, p.90)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The forest ecosystem provides a number of services both directly and indirectly to humans. For example, the Carbon and Nitrogen cycles are two of the cycles that are necessary for survival on our planet. Carbon is a key element on our planet. Carbon is found in the atmosphere, in plants and animals and in the ocean. â€Å"About 33 percent of the carbon that has accumulated in the atmosphere over the past 150 years has come from deforestation and changes in land use.† (WRI, p.50) When the carbon is in plants, it is released back into the atmosphere in a process called cellular respiration. If the trees and plants are cut down, the carbon cycle is not completed. The carbon will not be effectively removed from the air. â€Å"Fifteen tons of carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) occur in the air column above each hectare (2.5 acres) of the Earth’s surface. One hectare of lush vegetation can remove 50 tons of carbon from the atmosphere annually.† (WRI, p. 60)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nitrogen is another key element. Lack of Nitrogen could limit plant growth. Often times, Nitrogen is added to fertilizers to help increase the growth of the crop. However, beca... ...restrictions on any practice, which could have a physical effect on the environment. For example, the government should have a good inventory of the country’s natural resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government could also attach taxes to any natural resources, which are being traded out of the country. These taxes could be used, for example, to help replant forests. The money would help encourage farmers and timber harvesters to use alternative means in order to help protect the forests. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We have learned in class a lot about environmental sustainability. Humans are just a part of the many ecosystems on our planet. It is important that people consider themselves equals to the other species on this planet. We need each other in order to survive. Increased croplands may be a necessity, however, there are ways to make it less damaging to our environment. We cannot always look at the quickest, cheapest ways to get what we need. In the end, if we don’t change our ways, we (humans) will be responsible for the ultimate demise of our planet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Deforestation Essay -- essays research papers Deforestation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The planet Earth is being scarred. Everyday the people of the planet earth are polluting the planet’s air, water and land. These are all natural resources that are necessary for our survival on this planet. Yet, we continue to abuse our planet. Our world population is growing out of control. The simple lesson of supply and demand tells us that we will need more resources in order to support the booming population. One of the most important factors in survival is food supply. With out enough food, we will not survive. Unfortunately, our forest ecosystems are paying the price for the food demand. Deforestation is a major problem on our planet. It is something that must be carefully monitored and regulated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deforestation is a practice that has been taking place for thousands of years. Human beings have found it necessary to clear out the forests for settlement and cropland. Although there is no evidence as to how much of the planet’s forests has been cut down, it is obvious that this valuable ecosystem is declining. Studies estimate that, â€Å"original forest cover has been reduced by nearly 50 percent.† (WRI, p.90)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The forest ecosystem provides a number of services both directly and indirectly to humans. For example, the Carbon and Nitrogen cycles are two of the cycles that are necessary for survival on our planet. Carbon is a key element on our planet. Carbon is found in the atmosphere, in plants and animals and in the ocean. â€Å"About 33 percent of the carbon that has accumulated in the atmosphere over the past 150 years has come from deforestation and changes in land use.† (WRI, p.50) When the carbon is in plants, it is released back into the atmosphere in a process called cellular respiration. If the trees and plants are cut down, the carbon cycle is not completed. The carbon will not be effectively removed from the air. â€Å"Fifteen tons of carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) occur in the air column above each hectare (2.5 acres) of the Earth’s surface. One hectare of lush vegetation can remove 50 tons of carbon from the atmosphere annually.† (WRI, p. 60)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nitrogen is another key element. Lack of Nitrogen could limit plant growth. Often times, Nitrogen is added to fertilizers to help increase the growth of the crop. However, beca... ...restrictions on any practice, which could have a physical effect on the environment. For example, the government should have a good inventory of the country’s natural resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government could also attach taxes to any natural resources, which are being traded out of the country. These taxes could be used, for example, to help replant forests. The money would help encourage farmers and timber harvesters to use alternative means in order to help protect the forests. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We have learned in class a lot about environmental sustainability. Humans are just a part of the many ecosystems on our planet. It is important that people consider themselves equals to the other species on this planet. We need each other in order to survive. Increased croplands may be a necessity, however, there are ways to make it less damaging to our environment. We cannot always look at the quickest, cheapest ways to get what we need. In the end, if we don’t change our ways, we (humans) will be responsible for the ultimate demise of our planet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Ann Mulcahy, Xerox Case Study Essay

Fiedler’s Contingency Model: The Contingency Model that was developed by Fiedler’s and his associates was aimed to link the leadership style with the situation and circumstances surrounding each leader. (The Leadership Experience. p.68). Now will try to assess the leadership style of Anne Mulcahy to test the extent to which she was a relationship-oriented leader or a task-oriented leader. One of the first things she talked about on the short movie that we watched in class was that a lot of her time in the first few months â€Å"was spent listening† to employees and customers which shows how much she cared about them and their needs. In page 3 of the article written by Betsy Morris, she clearly says that â€Å"nothing spooked† her as much as thinking about the 96,000 people who worked for Xerox â€Å"if this thing went south†. In addition to passionately listening to her customers and employees, she was very humble asking for any kind of help from employees or investors. This is probably driven by her desire to keep Xerox alive for the people regardless to endless calls from financial advisors to file bankruptcy. Anne once asked if anyone in the company could teach here Balance Sheet 101, so she could relate her decisions to how the balance sheet would be effected. This was not the first time she asked for help, which in my opinion, was unusual but very encouraging to other employees to seek help whenever needed. She also personally met with top executives and was open with them to discuss every detail about the company and encouraged their involvements in the decisions. All of these and other evidences show the extent to which she was a relationship-oriented leader. On the other hand, she was also focusing on setting clear financial growth goals for the company even of the decisions made would harm some individuals. In other words, she was favoring the  company’s sustainability and long-term interest over the individual’s interests. She, for example, reduced the work force by 30,000 in order to accomplish the 5% annual growth by 2005. Therefore, in this situation, she made a tough decision and was a taskoriented leader. Also, when she took home binders and insisted to understand the financial side in making the right decisions, she possessed a high level of task-oriented. The case also tells us in page 6 that she had not taken a single weekend in two years, which shows how much she was focused on her goals for the company. Regarding the situation in which she worked, she had respect and trust between her and the subordinates. When there should be a tough decision to make, she would not hesitate like the case with auditors that she entirely replace Path-Goal Theory: In this theory, the leader is focused in motivating the people around him or her to achieve the ultimate organizations’ goals. (The Leadership Experience. p.77). One example to show that this was applicable with Anne Mulcahy is that when she met with the 100 top executives to assess their character and encourage them to do more for the better of the company. Ursula Burns had a better offer at another company and knew the situation of Xerox but with conversations with Anne Mulcahy, she was convinced to stay and focus to work harder. In this meeting, Anne was successful in motivating the top executives to link themselves more toward the company’s goals than to turn around. Mulcahy’s Core values, traits and characteristics: Core values are â€Å"fundamentals beliefs that an individual considers to be important, are relatively stable over time, have an impact on attitudes and behavior’. (The class PowerPoint). Anne Mulcahy has both end values and instrumental values. For example, one of her values is that she is extremely loyal to Xerox that she defined herself as the â€Å"culture† of it and never accepted any blame to her employees. She had faith that by working together with subordinates, she would accomplish her goals, and she did. She is very â€Å"subborn† as the case described that she never paid attention to her outside advisors to consider bankruptcy. In fact, her strong values forced the advisors to finally quit trying to convince her to file for Chapter 11. She believed in team work and encouraged employees to be always focused. She gave her employees confidence by having open dialogues with them and asking them to contribute their ideas and opinions. She had the extraordinary ability to stay focused even in hard time and in times of crises. She cared about the employees and their future and rewarded them by all means that she even â€Å"gave all employees their birthdays off†. Anne’s leadership vision and mission for the organization: Anne’s had the ability to envision the future of Xerox and its people. It is unbelievable how she ignored the many calls by â€Å"advisors’ to consider bankruptcy. She was so focused and could see the future of Xerox again. In the entire case, there was not a single line that indicates weakness or hesitant in her decision. In fact, it is the contrary. â€Å"Do not even go there.’ Whatever you think the advantages are from a financial standpoint, I think they are dismal and demoralizing for a company that wants desperately to turn around and regain its reputation.† This says all about her vision of the company. Her mission was to make sure that she works hard to have Xerox survive for the 95,000 who worked for it. The case says that Anne would sometimes visit three cities in one single day. This daily efforts was her mission to achieve the ultimate goal to get bak to Xerox its reputation again. â€Å"If this place is going to fail, it is not going to be because Anne Mulcahy slept.† This line says it all about her mission and her strategic leadership.